


Lost Alice

by rantarous



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: #Based On A Game, #Lost Alice, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, F/M, M/M, Will add more tag as we progess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-03 17:03:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12752502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rantarous/pseuds/rantarous
Summary: Her memories had vanished but she remembered her name.However, the people called her by a name that did not belong to her.





	Lost Alice

Her eyes snapped open and she blinked at her surroundings in a daze, completely puzzled and astonished.

“Whe— _yeeek!_ ”

Cold breeze slipped under her garments, shaking her from her state of stupefaction and she jerked forward, peeling her back from being pressed flat against the miniature pebbles that had prodded her to no end. With a pounding headache, she tried to make sense of her position, giving the place a once over while her hand rubbed the sore head in consistent circles.

“Ouch— wh—where is this?” She wondered, befuddled and squinted to have her eyes adjust to the dim lighted room. it was no use. No matter how many times she'd tried to remember what brought her to this unknown secluded area, her memories failed her with each try. Fingers curled and clenched a piece of her attire after she yielded herself no response after asking the same question another time — a lot louder, steadier and with much more power in demand of her whereabouts. But instead, received the glory of hearing her own voice reverberate across the walls, which were accompanied by the distance sounds of droplets hitting the floor.

_Deserted._ Anxiety bubbled up her throat and apprehension rammed into the cavity of her heart.

She angled her body upright by forcing all of her weight onto her elbow and pressed it against the rugged surface of the ground to get a good, suitable vantage point to study the zone with good efficiency. Then, for the sole purpose of occupying herself from the discomfort she'd been feeling on the back of her head, she searched for hints to which ended with nothing much of importance. She settled on inspecting the room a third time — thoroughly. Stuffing her worry, confusion and trepidation into a jar.

The area resembled a cage. Yet, carried a glamorous touch to it despite the odds.

Another look to the left showed her an oversized clock embedded in the twisted walls and cards sprouting from the slanted floor with plethora of abnormally big keys sticking from most; the keys sprinting from the very bottom of the cards. With one single streak of light streaming through a hole of the ceiling, she located more conspicuous twisted clocks plastered against the opposite wall. Each clock with a different hour.

It was a mysterious room of no telling of the time.

She aimlessly wandered around the cave for a while, gently touching the lily flowers in pure amazement, fascinated with the way they lived and maintained to stay bloomed just as beautifully in an environment with no sun.

“I wonder what brought me here.” She trailed off and edged nearer to the walls, trailing the pads of her fingertips alongside the oddly constructed clocks.

Maybe if she exited the cavern and went out to communicate with the residentiary she could gather herself some information.

But — that was when the ugly, sad, inevitable realisation stroke her hard: with the same amount of force of when the water from the waterfall splashes against the plunge pool. Her touch froze; her heart rate plummeting and knocking the breath out of her lungs. A part of her memories had vanished. Or more precisely, a lot of them had poofed out — leaving a section of her once filled-up memories in a big blot of white stain. Her chest clamped together and her head pain intensified. She blinked. Forget how she'd ended up there. She failed to remember the most basic knowledge. “... I can't remember who I was.”

“You are Alice.” A voice called out to answer. The answer was straightforward and delivered with ease — as if the person had waited for the right, befitted moment to speak and make their presence known.

“...What?” She choked, and nearly stumbled on her foot in her haste to find the owner of the voice, suddenly on high alert of having company. She tripped on the material she wore; a cerulean blue knee-length dress with a white pinafore apron that reached her knee cap.

What? Did she own this?

“Ah, you should be more careful with your steps.” The same voice said, stiffling a chuckle .

That was when she captured a boy standing right behind her, emerging from the shadows that kept him veiled just until then. Close to her age by the looks of his appearance. He wore a green chemise with green stripes and a fancy vest coat embellished with golden designs.

The outfits were strange but there was something about them that carried an alluring pull.

She cleared her throat, pulling her senses together. “I am not Alice. I am... I am—” She paused, racking around her brain for an answer before she remembered and confidently answered. Alright. That was a step forward. “I am Kaede.”

The boy blinked, surprised. “Nice to meet you Alice. I am Korekiyo Shinguji.”

Kaede chewed down on her lip and puffed her cheeks. “I am not Alice!”

But despite her efforts Korekiyo seemed unbothered, his eyes twinkling in interest. Kaede continued in exasperation.

“Do you know how I ended up here?”

“You came through a mirror, which is quite fascinating if you ask me, but you've been unconscious for a while. For approximately two hours.”

_A mirror?_

“Which mirror?”

“It's gone I guess. The mirror faded by the time you hit the floor.” He answered and Korekiyo surveyed the room with no actual sign of worry. It wasn't his problem. There was no reason for him to.

He turned back to Kaede, his curiosity only increasing. “May I ask you one question... why do you refer yourself as Kaede? A name that clearly does not belong to you. Could it be that you're exhausted from people calling you such?”

“Because that's who I am.” She huffed.

Korekiyo hummed and tapped his chin in thought, forehead creasing and in the process of assessing. “Or— It could be that you're suffering from Amnesia.”

“Eh?”

“Your head impact against the floor was strong and worthy of a concussion. The injury could interfere with the intricacies of your memories." He explained. “What else do you remember other than your name being Kaede?”

“That I willingly entered the mirror.”

“Alright. So Ali—”

“Kaede.” She rapidly corrected.

He chuckled, folding his arms over his chest. “My apologies. I have a proposal for you; since you're failing to remember who you are and where you're from, I can be of help until your memories return back to you. I am quite intrigued of witnessing the way a human who's suffering from Amnesia conduct in a situation of confusion. Surely, it must be something beautiful to see.”

Distressed and not any less confused but instead, pilled up with more thoughts to mull over, she decided she did not need the help of someone who refused to call her by name. She shook her head and marched toward the exit of the cave, flashing a smile of gratitude. “That's something I need to figure out on my own but thank you so much for the offer and the help.”

Kaede turned a deaf ear to the repetition of her name. Which wasn't her's but Alice's.

After she'd successfully slipped out of the entrance of the cave and faced the many obstacles — by that, she meant jumping over the rocks and forgotten logs, dodging the rats sneaking around her feet and staying prudent around the gaps and holes — there greeted her a grove; one that spread as far as her eyes could manage to see. Trees stood tall and the forest was cloaked in light fog, making it a little difficult for her to descry anything passed the trees. The forest was no different than the cave though. It was dark, shallow and empty; making her escape from the cave a tad, bit pointless as the outside looked just as gloomy, if not more. But at least, she'd managed to slip away from Korekiyo's incessant babbling about humans.

Putting that aside, something was not normal about this. Especially with the air the atmosphere effused as an entirety. Almost like this place shouldn't be part of this world.

“Is that my beloved Alice?”

Her thoughts and assessment ceased after hearing someone call out to her, the owner of the voice surprisingly not Korekiyo's — unfamiliar to her ears. High on alert, Kaede tried to make a turn on her heels to meet the new face but they'd quickly sneaked their arms around her rear to wrap it around her waist. A low rumble escaped their lips in patent triumph. “I've been waiting for you for a long time. I was almost certain I would turn into an ugly skeleton! Where have you been?”

“My name isn't Alice for the umpteenth time!” She automatically responded.

He casually brushed off her correction by securing his grip. He huffed and whined. “You didn't answer my question, you know? It's been such a long time after all. Yeesh, you should consider yourself lucky that such an important person such as myself decided to wait.”

Kaede groaned, fixing her gaze into the dirt pinned under her feet. To be mistaken as someone she was not for the second time caused an eerie chill to trail down her back. It made her feel uneasy.

“Am I meant to... know you?” Kaede asked cautiously, tracked in her stance.

“I am Kokichi.” He responded buoyantly and his grip suddenly loosened. He took one step back and vaguely cocked his head to the side with a gleam of curiosity dancing in his eyes, a grin flowering the lower part of his countenance. “Don't worry. I am not mistaking you for someone else.” He cooed, “you're the Alice. I am certain. Or are you proclaiming I am mistaken? Nonsense! I am always correct.”

Kaede remained gobsmacked for a fraction of a second, keeping her cool measured to examine the individual who stood in front of her with his arms crossed behind his head; a little too laid-back under the pressuring assessing gaze flaring behind her eyes. Kokichi was clothed in a strange outfit, no more different than Korekiyo, but less formal. With cat ears glued to his head and a tail with a ribbon slowly swaying behind him, it failed to throw her off guard. Or frighten her or send a ghostly chill running down her spine for that matter — especially after seeing so much out of the norm within a short scale amount of time. Kaede filed this information away under the heading of useful information that she might need later. Just in case.

“How would you know what I was thinking?” Kaede asked, wearily regarding him.

“I am a mind-reader, did you not know?” he cooed. “Our eyes connect and _tadaa_ I can easily see what you're thinking.”

“Eh? Really you can?”

“Yeah, why would I lie about that? That's why I am deemed an important person, because I am the only mind-reader left alive!” Kokichi stepped forward to prove his point and pressed his hands around her head. He closed his eyelids, adding pressure into the grip and Kaede vigorously chewed around her lip, ignoring the pain. After a couple of over-the-tops hums and nods, he released the hold and stepped back. “Right now,” he dramatically paused before continuing, “you're frightened. You've no clue as to where you are, so you're attempting to find a way out of here.” 

Kaede blankly blinked before her purple coloured irises lightened up. For a fraction of a second, the thought of her problem was forgotten and tossed out the window. “So you can really, really read my mind, huh? Woah, that's amazing!”

“Who knows? I am a liar after all.”

“What?”

“I am not a mind-reader. That was a wild guess.” Kokichi confessed.

Kaede furrowed her brows. “Being an important person was also part of your lie?”

“No! That was the truth. I am very, _very_ important. Like super duper important, I am one of the most important person here. Alice, did you not know? There always needs to be some truth to the lie. Or else the lie itself becomes the truth.”

All she could've mustered of replying to that was an almost inaudible, “oh.”

Rooted on the ground in an akimbo pose, the structure of his body nearly turned into a silhouette, the thickness of the light fog picking up and intensifying.

Kaede politely inclined her head to announce her departure — better to play it safe than come off as rude to an unknown human-cat in the middle of an unknown land — and pivoted on the heels of her shoes.

“Alice? Where are you going?” He called out, the amusement and curiosity in his voice evident.

“Leaving. I need to find a way out of here. I am sure there must be a way out of the forest.”

“Alice, do you have an idea where to go?”

“...Umm— my house.” She answered hesitantly.

“Your house?" Kokichi reiterated with a grin. "Do you really have a place you call home Alice?”

Kaede, no longer eager to explore the expanse of the land turned her full attention to Kokichi. His smile still remained and could be considered somewhat friendly and cheeky but distant. 

He gave off the impression he knew much more than she did.

“What do you know about me?” She stopped, “If you know anything then... please tel—”

“Don't waste your time.”

A composed, serene voice cut her voice off as she began to ask for help. “We're leaving.”

The newcomer clapped his hand around Kaede's wrist as she stood there in a daze, lost and he pulled her towards a certain direction. Kokichi did nothing to interfere, grinning blithely as he watched them walk away, waving a hand as his lips traced out the words ‘I will see you later’. By the time they'd reached a relatively safe distance, the boy slowed his steps and Kaede glanced at him after they'd walked in silence for what felt like an eternity, unable to see much of anything with his back turned on her. But something was virile in his appearance; like having gentlemanly manner was part of his nature.

Kaede shook her head out of reverie and voiced her most important thought. The one telling her to snap out of it, adrenaline coursing through her body. “Are you taking me to my house?”

“No.”

“Then don't you think your approach was a little too aggressive?”

“....” He paused and his grip around her arm loosened but he did not relinquish the hold. He was at a lose of words, the surface of his shoulders tensed as he realised she had a point. “I…” He paused, “I am Rantarou. I am the Hatter.” He introduced himself.

Kaede cocked her head in confusion. A Hatter?

The vicinity started to clear and the white mist encompassing them for most part disappeared once they'd entered the central of the other side. The viridescent moss shone under the dazzling sun with the birds flocking around and melodiously tweeting from a close distance — the eerie forest finally left far behind and away from her. Kaede breathed and her pulsation lowered down to normal rate.

Rantarou must have felt her steps slow because he stopped ambling forward and released the grip. “Do you feel better now?”

“Yeah. Much better. Thank you for getting me out of there.” She admitted and inhaled, admiring the scenery.

Just to their front, encircled by the vivid and lively trees was an extended, crooked table with a long white tablecloth. Plates with sweets, cakes and teas were messily placed across the table and several individuals surrounded it, happily munching on the treats and carrying a conversation with merry laughters. Rantarou looked over at them with pure fondness before it disappeared in the snap of a finger and instead, a nebulous cast of hesitancy appeared. He'd tipped his hat quickly enough to hide it, lest Kaede noticed.

Rantarou turned on his heels before the two of them had the chance to reach the table and perched himself on one of the moss covered rocks, crossing his leg over the other.

“Come sit here.” He courteously gestured to the adjacent rock to him and Kaede jumped over the stream of water, wasting no time in joining him.

And that also meant wasting no time in bombarding him with questions.

Rantarou laughed. “One question at a time please, I will answer as much as I can. But before that, there's something I want to tell you.”

The change his tone had taken surprised her; which meant he'd tell her something of significance, she surmised. The remaining questions she'd prepared to launch sitting at the tip of her tongue had been burned and swallowed down to the very core of her stomach. Maybe what he needed to tell her could help her get back to where she belonged.

‘Breathe in. Breathe out. Lean in, absorb whatever information that leaves his lips.’

“You shouldn't approach the Cheshire Cat. He will lead you astray.” Rantarou warned.

“... Cheshire Cat— Do you mean Kokichi?” Kaede asked. With the tail and ears, that made sense. And Rantarou nodded his head.

“That's all you wanted to tell me?” Kaede asked, and Rantarou blinked in puzzlement, inclining his head in affirmation.

Kaede's shoulders dropped. She expected more from him, considering the sudden shift from the amicable ambiance. But this piece of enlightenment could come in handy.

“Yeah I wanted to get that out of the way.”

“So I can resume back to my questions?”

“Of course.”

“Alright— Like I've said, the only things I manage to remember are my name and the fact that I slipped out of a mirror. Is there anything you know? Like who I am? Is dropping out of a mirror even possible?” She asked with high hopes. Rantarou looked at the folded, shaky hands with an impassive expression before he tore his green eyes away. Whatever that was crossing his mind in that moment was impossible to know.

He hadn't replied back immediately and stole another glance at the tea party. By now, it had cleared. The few people that were there dispersed half an hour after Kaede and Rantarou's arrival, leaving due to the sun setting with the table still filled with treats. Rantarou guided her there (claiming to discuss the situation at the table was most fitting.) Now that she stood at a much closer range, she realised the table was dissected from the middle; but the tablecloth concealed the mark — inconspicuous to anyone unless they paid rapt attention to the detail. The furniture was covered and decorated in blue orchids. The same flower type adorning the brim of Rantarou's hat.

Rantarou poured tea for the two of them and served her a plate of sweets and placed it in front of her. It was only then that it came to Kaede's attention she'd been famished beyond words and wasted no time in happily chewing the pastries Rantarou kindly offered her and gulped down the tea, despite hot.

He sat on the far end of the table and took a slow sip of his own tea, savouring its piquancy. “You asked if I knew anything about you, is that right?” He resumed the topic after a couple minutes of silence.

She nodded.

“And you only remember how you ended up here and your name?”

“Yeah.” Kaede exhaled and placed down the half munched cookie, all appetite disappearing at the remembrance of the problem. Rantarou regarded her carefully from the brim of the cup, and concluding that he wasn't going to speak, she continued. “Every person I've come across believes I am ‘Alice’. Do you know anything about that? I am not Alice,” she stopped for a moment, in taking a sharp breath. “Am I? I can't be… because I am Kaede.”

Rantarou placed the tea down on the vintage plate with a clatter and sighed. “No. You're Alice.”

For some inexplicable reason, she found herself not doubting him. Unlike the way she failed to believe Korekiyo and Kokichi. There was this seriousness in his voice that told her he wasn't lying. There was some verity to it.

“How so?” She enquired.

His face was noncommittal and vacuous when he spoke the next words.

“That's because you chose to be Alice.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Inspired by Lost Alice]
> 
> 'Rantarous, why are you making yourself suffer by starting a new multi-chaptered fics?'
> 
> Good question, however I do not have the answer to that welp.
> 
>  
> 
> This is pretty darn short for a first chapter (i struggle with first chapters. I will mostly rewrite some parts) but I was planning on answering everything on the second chapter, which will be pretty loooong. I just hope you guys liked the first chapter? Please leave kudos or comments. They mean a lot to me!!


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